Dahlia plant named ‘Baldaora’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘Baldaora’, characterized by its double-type, orange-colored inflorescences, dark green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Dahlia variabilis.

Variety denomination: ‘Baldaora’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant botanically known as Dahlia variabilis and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Baldaora’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in in Odense, Denmark during July 2017. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Dahlia cultivars that are freely flowering with double-type, large inflorescences and a vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.

The new Dahlia cultivar is the result of open pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is HYPNOTICA Orange, not patented, characterized by its double-type, medium orange-colored inflorescences, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is unknown. The new cultivar was discovered as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated open pollination during July 2018 in a controlled environment in Hem, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since July 2018 in Hem, The Netherlands and Andijk, The Netherlands has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true-to-type with all the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Baldaora’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Double-type, orange-colored inflorescences;     -   2. Dark green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in having a more upright growth habit and increased growth vigor.

Of the many commercially available Dahlia cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Venti Golden Yellow ‘DANITTEN’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,907. However, in side-by-side comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘DANITTEN’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a smaller disc diameter than         plants of ‘DANITTEN’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have fewer ray florets per         inflorescence than plants of ‘DANITTEN’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have a ray floret color that is         orange and different from the yellow color of plants of         ‘DANITTEN’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Baldaora’. The 4-month-old plants were grown in 6.5-inch pots for 10 weeks in a glass-covered greenhouse in Hem, The Netherlands. Plants were given one pinch before transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Baldaora’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Baldaora’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in February 2022 under natural light conditions in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

The following descriptions and measurements describe 4-month-old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in Hem, The Netherlands in 6.5-inch pots for 10 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Plants were given one pinch before transplant. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 61° F. to 72° F. (16° C. to 22° C.) during the day and approximately 57° F. to 61° F. (14° C. to 16° C.) during the night. Supplemental lighting was used. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia variabilis ‘Baldaora’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—HYPNOTICA Orange, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Unknown. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 9 to 12 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 25 to 32             days.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 7 to 9 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 15 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             upright-mounded.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 33.5 cm. Height from soil level to top of             foliage: Approximately 25.5 cm. Width: Approximately 43.3             cm.         -   Branch.—Quantity of lateral branches per plant:             Approximately 7. Strength: Moderately strong. Length of             lateral branch: Approximately 15.5 cm. Diameter of lateral             branch at central internode: Approximately 1.0 cm. Length of             central internode of lateral branch: Approximately 2.9 cm.             Texture: Glabrous. Color: 138A with 143A slightly to             moderately tinted with N186C, particularly towards the             nodes. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per lateral branch:             Approximately 12. Type: Simple and compound. Quantity of             leaflets per compound leaf: Approximately 3, trifoliate             and 5. Fragrance: None detected. Arrangement: Opposite.             Aspect: Petiole mostly perpendicular angle to stem with             blade slightly extending downward. Shape of leaf and             leaflet: Broadly elliptic to broadly ovate. Margin of leaf             and leaflet: Widely serrate. Apex of leaf and leaflet:             Acute. Base of leaf and leaflet: Attenuate. Venation             pattern: Pinnate.         -   Simple leaf.—Length: Approximately 15.9 cm. Width:             Approximately 11.0 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Sparsely pubescent. Color of upper surface: NN137A blended             with 147A. Color of lower surface: 191B. Length of petiole:             Approximately 5.1 cm. Diameter of petiole: Approximately             4.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces of petiole:             Glabrous. Color of upper surface of petiole: 144A with 146B.             Color of lower surface of petiole: 144A.         -   Mature compound leaf.—Shape: Broadly elliptic to broadly             ovate in outline. Length of mature compound leaf:             Approximately 19.5 cm. Width of mature compound leaf:             Approximately 21.0 cm. Length of terminal leaflet:             Approximately 14.0 cm. Width of terminal leaflet:             Approximately 8.5 cm. Length of lateral leaflets:             Approximately 10.0 cm. Width of lateral leaflets:             Approximately 6.2 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Sparsely pubescent. Color of upper surface: NN137A blended             with 147A. Color of lower surface: 191B. Length of petiole             of mature compound leaf: Approximately 3.5 cm. Diameter of             petiole of mature compound leaf: Approximately 5.0 mm.             Length of rachis: Approximately 8.6 cm. Texture of upper and             lower surfaces of petiole and rachis: Glabrous. Color of             upper surface of petiole and rachis: 147C, slightly to             heavily tinted with N186C. Color of lower surface of petiole             and rachis: 146A to 146B. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Baldaora’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn.         -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the             plant.—Approximately 2 weeks. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Double, composite, consisting of             multiple rows or ray florets, and disc florets, persistent.             Aspect: Facing upward and outward. Arrangement: Terminal,             arising from leaf axils on strong peduncles positioned over             the foliage. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on a             capitulum. Quantity per plant: Approximately 2. Fragrance:             None detected. Shape: Hemispherical to near spherical when             ray florets are fully open. Inflorescence diameter:             Approximately 12.2 cm. Inflorescence depth: Approximately             7.8 cm. Disc diameter: Approximately 5.0 mm. Receptacle             diameter at base: Approximately 7.0 mm. Receptacle depth:             Approximately 4.0 mm. Receptacle color: 145C.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 11.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.             Texture: Glabrous, young peduncles moderately covered with a             very short pubescence. Color: 152A to 152B, heavily tinted             with 200B to 200C.         -   Bud.—Rate of bud opening: Generally takes 2 weeks for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per             plant: Approximately 9.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oblate. Depth at first             color: Approximately 1.5 cm. Diameter at first color:             Approximately 1.7 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: Outer             surface of the phyllaries N144C with base of 143B and apex             tinted with 199B.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 60.             Arrangement: Imbricate, in multiple whorls. Aspect: Slightly             concave. Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Shallowly             emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Appearance: Matte, moderately             velvety. Length: Approximately 5.6 cm. Width: Approximately             2.8 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color             of upper surface when first and fully open: N25A blended             with N172C with base of 1A to 1B. Color of lower surface             when first and fully open: 170B with base of 1B. Color of             upper surface before senescence: 169D with base of 1A. Color             of lower surface before senescence: 170B with base of 1B.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 3.             Arrangement: In center of inflorescence, typically deformed             and not maturing to fully open. Aspect: Erect. Shape:             Tubular. Margin: Entire. Apex: 5 acute tips. Base: Fused.             Length: Approximately 1.3 cm. Diameter at apex:             Approximately 6.0 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately             3.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color when fully open: 17A to 17B             with 154D at base, translucent.         -   Outer phyllaries.—Quantity: Approximately 7. Aspect:             Slightly twisted, reflexed. Shape: Elliptic to broadly             elliptic. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.             Length: Approximately 2.2 cm. Width: Approximately 1.1 cm.             Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of             upper surface: 137B. Color of lower surface: 138A with             venation of 137A.         -   Inner phyllaries.—Quantity: Approximately 1 per floret.             Shape: Linear, imbricate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Broadly             acute to obtuse. Base: Truncate. Length of outermost:             Approximately 2.3 cm. Width of outermost: Approximately             8.0 mm. Length of innermost: Approximately 1.6 cm. Width of             innermost: Approximately 6.5 mm. Texture of upper and lower             surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper and lower surfaces: 150B,             translucent with 143A at base of outermost.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: On disc florets. Stamen             quantity: 5 per floret. Stamen length: Approximately 1.0 cm.             Anther shape: Linear. Anther length: Approximately 4.0 mm.             Anther color: 151D. Pollen amount: Sparse. Pollen color:             17A. Gynoecium: On disc and ray florets. Pistil length:             Approximately 1.3 cm. Stigma shape: 2 branched. Stigma             length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Stigma width: Approximately             6.0 mm. Stigma color: 15A. Style length: Approximately             8.0 mm. Style color: 151D. Ovary length: Approximately             1.0 mm. Ovary color: 154D. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Dahlia has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named ‘Baldaora’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 